Broken Bones/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Tim and Moby are riding a ski lift up a snowy mountain. Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby; my brother broke his arm last year, and now he's fine. How did it heal? From, Michael. Good question. Most people, at one time or another, will fracture, or break, a bone. They are still in the ski lift. An animation shows a woman skiing down the side of a mountain. TIM: When there is too much stress placed on a bone, like when you land awkwardly on a hard surface, the bone may break, or snap. The woman loses her balance and falls forward. WOMAN: Ow! An image shows a broken bone in her leg. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah, I hope she's OK. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, you'll usually know it if you fracture a bone. There will be a lot of pain and tenderness in the area, and sometimes it may feel like something's grinding inside of you. An animation shows a bruised and swelling human arm. TIM: Usually there's swelling and bruising around the injury, and you probably won't be able to use the surrounding muscles or limbs. An animation shows a boy with a broken arm in a sling. He is watching two of his friends play basketball. TIM: There are a few types of fractures. Animations illustrate the various types of fractures as Tim describes them. TIM: A closed fracture is when a bone breaks and doesn't break the skin or anything like that. An open, or compound, fracture is when the bone breaks and protrudes from the skin. When the bone doesn't break all the way through, it's called an incomplete fracture. But when the bone does break into separate pieces, it's called a complete fracture. Stress, or fatigue, fractures can develop over time when there's repeated trauma to the same bone. MOBY: Beep. TIM: What's so amazing about broken bones, and to get back to the question, is that they heal themselves. An animation shows a fractured bone healing. TIM: Almost immediately after the fracture, the bone produces new tissue that binds with the separated bone. This tissue, which is soft at first, eventually hardens, and the bone becomes whole again. In fact, the bone actually ends up harder than when it started out. Images show an x-ray of a fractured leg and that same leg in a cast. TIM: Doctors take x-rays and usually put a cast or splint on the injured area, setting the bone in a good position to reconnect. In compound fractures, or fractures with many bone fragments, a person might require immobilization. Also, their bones may need to be held in place with pins, wires, screws, or rods that are inserted through the skin. An image shows an x-ray of a fractured leg within a cast. TIM: While the body does most of the healing itself, the cast helps the bone remain stable and keeps off any added pressure and weight. An animation shows a doctor speaking sternly to a patient with a broken leg. He makes gestures that indicate a bone breaking. TIM: When bones don't heal properly, they may not function as well as they did before the fracture. Doctors will sometimes re-fracture bones in order to reposition or set them again so they heal in the right position. An image shows a leg with a compound fracture. TIM: One of the biggest causes of bones not healing is when there's an infection at the site. This is especially true when there's a compound fracture. The body will focus all of its energy into healing the surface wound first and then attempt to heal the broken bone. An image shows a bone shattered into several pieces. TIM: Sometimes bones are way too damaged, and they can't heal properly. In these cases, doctors may have to amputate part or all of the bone and the surrounding tissues. An image shows the bones of an arm, one of which has been replaced by a metal rod. TIM: Sometimes they'll replace it with a pin or a screw or rod, and after that you'll just love going through metal detectors. MOBY: Beep. Images show the skeletons of a young boy and a young girl. TIM: Well actually, kids' bones are less likely to break than adults', because they're softer and more pliable from not having fully formed yet. An animation illustrates Tim's explanation as he continues. TIM: Sometimes, though, kids' bones will bend and only break part of the way through. That's called a greenstick fracture. An image shows an elderly woman. TIM: Older people, especially women, tend to have pretty brittle bones, especially if they're not getting a lot of calcium in their diet. Images show a glass of milk, a piece of Swiss cheese, and a banana. TIM: Some older folks develop osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bone tissue. Calcium is an important part of our bones, and we need it to prevent bone weakness and osteoporosis. You can get calcium from a bunch of places, including most dairy products, dark-green vegetables like broccoli or kale, and nuts like almonds and hazelnuts. Images show the foods as Tim names them. TIM: Some people need to take calcium supplements or vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. An image shows several types of meat, vegetables, and baked goods. An animation shows a person running across the screen. TIM: People should also eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly to keep their bones strong. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Right. You're also at risk if you do a lot of crazy stuff, like skiing too fast down an icy mountain or skateboarding without proper protective gear. Tim and Moby fall from their ski-lift chair onto the mountainside. TIM: Ahhh! Tim is lying face-down in the snow. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Don't worry about me, Moby. I'm fine. No broken bones here. He sees that one of Moby's arms has come off from the impact of his fall. TIM: Ewww! Good thing you're a robot. 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